REVIEW: The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

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JayneB Reviews / Book Reviews18th-century / abolitionist / American historical / arranged-marriage / Glasgow / Historical / inspirational romance / merchant class / ScotlandNo Comments

Virigina plantation life is all she has ever known.

But could the life she was meant to live be waiting on a distant shore?

In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland.

When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family’s crippling debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.

Despite her initial refusal, Juliet realizes that fleeing Virginia is her only choice after finding herself in the midst of a scandal. The ship just leaving the harbor for Glasgow is her only hope. But she will soon realize that being part of the complex and calculating Buchanan clan is not the sanctuary she imagined–and the man who saved her from ruin is the very one she must now save in return.

CW/TW – Possible postpartum depression and suicide. There are some enslaved characters. 

Dear Ms. Frantz, 

Although I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the lovely cover, I will admit that the  information in the blurb about the heroine’s family owning a plantation in Tidewater Virginia gave me pause. There could be no way that this wouldn’t involve enslaved people and yes, there are some. But the knowledge that the spinster aunt of Juliet and Loveday is a Quaker who lives in Philadelphia (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) should give readers a hint about the sister’s feelings and actions that will be seen in the story. There is also

I like Juliet and her sister Loveday. They’re both practical, thoughtful, and giving people. When Leith Buchanan appears on the scene, his first impression of Juliet is that she’s an intelligent scrapper. Also that the miniature he keeps of her in his pocket doesn’t do her justice. Juliet’s dowry has gone to pay down the crippling debts of the plantation and honestly, she’s just fine with that and the plan of eventually moving to Philadelphia to be spinster like her aunt. I wish we could have seen this aunt who sounds as if she doesn’t suffer fools. After trying to matchmake Loveday and Leith, Juliet is stunned when she is the one selected as the human sacrifice to pay off her father’s bad decision making.   

To his credit, Leith – whose Scottish brogue comes and goes and comes throughout the story – gives Juliet a choice in whether or not the marriage will take place. His first marriage was a disaster – as is continuously hinted about and more on that later – but we can see that he truly does – deep in his heart and no matter what he says – want to be married again and that he has deep feelings for Juliet. The first half of the book moves at a lazy pace that probably matches that of life in 1770s Virginia but this also gives us a good chance to really get to know both Leith and Juliet as they get to know each other. When Juliet initially turns Leith down, it’s not because he’s rude or objectionable, but rather because she loves her home, family, and community. The reasons she changes her mind are worry about Leith being ill and due to Something Else she has a hand in that could possibly end with her in prison.   

To my amazement, the journey across the Atlantic held my attention despite Leith being ill and near death. Good thing that Loveday, with her skills in the stillroom and knowledge of herbs and simples, is there to keep the poor man from being bled and purged. Medicine really has advanced a lot since then.      

The ultraslow burn nature of the romance doesn’t pick up all that much once everyone arrives in Glasgow but again, the details of life among the tobacco lords of the city who were filthy stinking rich had me glued to the page. There are family members to meet, shopping to do, balls to be held, and in the background the continuing threat of the American colonies heading towards … what? Rebellion or is there a chance to head that off and if not, how will this affect the trade that has fueled the riches that Juliet is now gobsmacked by. 

I absolutely did not see the direction that the plot was going to take. There was plenty of conflict and issues already but finally the disastrous end to Leith’s first marriage steps up and takes over. I’ll be honest and admit that this becomes “everything but the kitchen sink.” Poor Juliet and Leith, who had already been put through a wringer in their growing relationship, now got put through This as well. Juliet, who had been religious through the book, really used all the faith she had and prayers she could muster. This is an inspie book and there is a lot here but mainly due to the fact that these are religious people, under trial, and turning to faith and prayer is natural for them. 

Booyah that Juliet, Loveday, and Leith are shown to be products of how they were brought up. I appreciated the opposite view of the burgeoning turmoil that would soon bring the American colonies into open rebellion against Britain. I laughed when Loveday admits she is loving her new life in Scotland. I enjoyed watching Leith realize the gem he’s married and Juliet rethinking her initial thoughts on the marriage. There is character growth galore here though it takes a while to get there. The kerfuffle at the end wasn’t quite to my taste but I’ll still give this one a B.   

~Jayne      

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Jayne

Another long time reader who read romance novels in her teens, then took a long break before started back again about 25 years ago. She enjoys historical romance/fiction best, likes contemporaries, action- adventure and mysteries, will read suspense if there’s no TSTL characters and is currently reading more fantasy and SciFi.

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